Internal-combustion engine



Apr. l0, 1923. 1,451,389

Y T. w. GRANNAN ET AL INTERNAL COMBUSTON ENGINE j THOMAS' IM GMA/NAN Apr. 10, 1923.

' 1,451,389 T. W. GRANNAN ET AL INTERNAL coMUsTloN ENGINE lined June 5,-1921 5 srlee'os-shee1-. 2

l THG/m95 W GreA/v/VAN Mum/11D.' GRAN/wa I Wbcssest I Q Apr. lo, 1923. l1,451,389

T; W. GRANNAN ET AL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENINE Filed June 5, 1921 5 sheets-sheet 3 T all wimmelt may concer/n.'

Patented Apr.y l0, 1923.

u NY-lrso sifrss inca PATENT OFFICE g 5 THoMAsW. .GRANNAN AND WILLIAMD. GRANNAN, or Loo'eoo'rnn, rNnIANA. i

IN'rEnNaLy-ooi/innsrron ENGINE.`

Application filed vJune 3,

Be it known that we, THOMAS WV. GRAN- A NAN' and Yirnnnin D. GRANNAN, jboth citizens of the :United `Statesfand residentsfoi I Joogootee, in thecountyof lVfartin and State of Indiana, have jointly invented a certain new and useful Improvement in internal- Gombustion Engines, olf whichimprovement thefollowing'is'aspeciiication.

@ur inventionrelates to internal combustion engines, adapted for-puse' 'as 'prime movers. in automobiles, motor boats, aero# planes, etc.,'and its object is to provide ,an engine of such type which shall beof simplified, inexpensive, light, ands'ub/stantialconstruction; shall occupy-lessspace, relativefto its power, than those of the ordinaryfconstruction; and shall, in operation, effect a material reduction'oi: vibration and wear of. moving parts, with ,a 4corresponding reducf tionofmaintenance costs and delays Jfor re newals or repairsf e yThe leading and characteristic feature' of our invention, .stated in general'terms, consists in the substitution for the' ordinary.k cylinders, reciprocating pistons,A connecting rods, 'and lcranked"driving shaft, of chamf bers of oblong cross section, which will here in be descriptively 'termed'.cylindersf because performing the-function of the ordinary lcircular bore cylinders, said chambers beingy mounted yto oscillate about a `fixed sleeve, in which rotates a ported yshaft constituting the inlet V'and outlet valves for the chambers, said cylinders being :supported and guided byl ,segmental guides carried by the Jframe, and an eccentric disc, working in each chamber, said discs V'/c0nstituting,L' with shoes carried by them and 'slidinglon the end walls of the chambers, the pistons ofthe engine`.the eccentrica .being'inounted on la' straight driving shaft, which passes throughcurx'fed slots in the sidewalls of the chambers.

Another feature of ourinventionConsists in thewlater cooling Systems provided,1one

" yoi'which` is for cooling` the ,oscillatingv chains,

bers,and4 the other for cooling theecc'entrics and.thedriving'shaft.v .il f Y'The provem'ent claimed Vis hereinafter fullysetforth.V f Y. ,In L,the vTacc ompanying drawings:V Figure 1 is aplancrtop viewof a `four cylinderA internalc'ombustion engine, embodying our invention; 'Fgi 2, .a .vertical longitudinal vertical f transverse ,y section through one.4 ot

1921.' sensing; 474,634.

ther cylinders, showing it vin the kposition Voccupiedivvhen the exhaust ports lare open; F ig. 4, asimilar section, showingthe cylin der in the 'positionoccupiedlvvhenthe admission ports are open; Fig.5, a similar view, showing the cylinder in its dead centre position; Fig. '6aside`view, inveleval tion, of one of the cylinders; Fig. '7, an end view of the same; FigQS, aside 'viewo'fone of the eccentric pistons; Fig.f9, 'an' end view of ythe same; lFig. 10, a verticalfsection e. f through the same; Fig'.V 11, a side' view,in

elevatiomfof ythe drivingshaft; Fig. '12, "an end viewoithe same; Fig. 13, va transverse .section through fthe same; and, Fig. '14," a

siderview, in.l elevation, of the valve shaft.

ln the-practiceofour invention, referring i descriptively y,to the specific embodiment thereof1 which'is herein exemplified,we prt vide a supporting vframe, "comprising 'a plurality 'oi'vertical' members, Q1, each having a pair offarins, 2, projecting laterally from it, at itsbottom, and apair of, 'similarly projecting arms, J23,",adjacentto its top. The ends of the lowerfarms, 2, are` secured, as,

which may be .part of theframeworkfof'la motor vehicle, boat, or aeroplane. Bearings, 5, for a driving`shaft,` `,6,are forniedinfthe lower ends'of the.verticalmeinbers, 1, :and

cylindrical bosses7, a're' vformedfon .their upper ends, and fare .bored out,to`rece`ivefa sleeve, `8, .which 4 is .':fitted inv them, .,withoutcapacity kof rotation'.V lThe `cylinders',1.9,

of .their heads, Lsaid bosses being bored ,011th `angle ca`stings,.j3,fto a bed'pla'te orfbase4, n,

to rotatably fit on the sleeve, 8,between the f bosses,` 7, of the frame, as shownjin 2.l

.Jin eccentric disc piston,tl1,is lreyedbn the driving shaft,v 6,:within` each of, the cylinders, 9.; safdV disc .pistons` being provided with packing rings, .112, byfmeans ofwhichA l all gas tight., fit, is formed` vbetween .them-and the sides .of .the cylindersv in :which: they are:

located. Each .,pi'stonfdisc: is .surrounded by aH strap'. orjyolre, 13, 'ori/thelopposite y,sides of whiclnf shoes, 14, areiormed, VHwhich"y iii;`

against theY end walls of "thefcylinden and are,-fprovidedk with,y packing strips, 115,.'there- 1 by .completi-ng. the litof thefpistons in the,

cylinders The v-portin's .,of'... the straps be,

llo I Yio tween the shoes are. cut away, so as to leave the major portion ofthe ldiscs exposed to the pressure of the gases, as shown inr Fig. l0. L

ln a four cylinder engne, which type is herein exemplified, the two inner eccentrics are set at 180 degrees from the two outer ones, from which it follows that adjacent cylinders oscillate alternately, that is, in op,- posite directions at each stroke. To guide the cylinders in ther swinging' movements, and 'to take their weight olf the sleeve, 8, about the axis of which they swing, segmental .guide-ways, 17,1are formed lin the outer faces of the ysides of the cylinders, which slide on similarly curved guides, 18, supported between the members of each pairot' adjacent cylinders, aiid at thev ends. rlhe 'two outside guides, 18, have laterally pro-y y frame,have upper lateral arms, 23, to wh'ch the casing, 2l, is secured, as' shown in Fig.

` Acored cast-iron cap,"2l, fits on, and is detachably secured to, the bosses, A7, of the vertical members of the frame, as by bolts, 25,`and, between said members, .fits snugly over the,y bosses, l0, of the cylinders. Said cap constitutes the manifold for the incoming and exhaust gases, and is also provided with `passages for'the. water entering yand leaving. the cylinder jackets, as will hereinafter be'described in detail. A passage, 30, receives the gas introduced into it by the inlet pipe, 3l, andan outlet passage, 32, leads :to thc elvhaust pipe, 33. Said passages Vcome into communication, in the oscillation of the cylinders, with ports,V 34' and 35, respectively, formed in the cylindrical bosses, l0, of the cylinders. lVithin said bosses the fixed sleeve, 8, is provided with j similar inlet andI outlet ports, 36 andr 37,

which '.communicate,.at the proper times, with ythe ports, 34 and 35. Within the sleeve, 8, there is located the rotary valve shaft, 38, which is driven, in timed relation to the driving shaft, by the train of reducinggearing", 39. The valve shaft is pro vided with curved 'inlet and outlet passages, 40; and fil, which, in the :rotation of said shaft, serve to alternately put into communication the ports, 36 and 37, in the upper half of the sleeve, with the corresponding ports, 42 and 43, in the lower half of the same, said last mentioned ports leading The wires, 49, leading to the plug are en-` closedin a curved pipe, o0, concentric with the pivotal axis of the cylinders and working in an aperture formed for it in the cas* ing, 2l.

As before stated, the engine is equipped with awater cooling system, one part of which cools the water jackets of the Cylinders, and the other the driving' shaft and the eccentrics. Both parts of the system are connected to the usual radiator, 52, between which and the yfront of the engine, there may be mounted the usual fan, not shown.

Refer-rimefirst to that' part of the cooling system which takes care of the oscillating cylinders, an 'inlet pipe, 54, extends froni the lower part of the radiator, 52,` to the cap, 2s, and an outlet pipe, 55, extends from said cap back to the radiator. These pipes communicate with cored passages, 56, and 57, respectively, in said cap. The passage, 56, has an open mouth, around which is secured the end of a short curved pipe, 58, provided with a check valve, 59, at its mouth. A similarly curved pipe, 60, of sufficiently smaller diameter to telescope in the pipe, 58, is secured to the open mouth of the water passage, 61, which forms .part of the water jacket surrounding each cylinder. A packing nut or collar, 62, surrounds the telescoping ends of the pipes, 58 yand 60, to prevent leakage at the joint. The pipes, 60, reciprocate in curvedguides, 63, in the cap, 21. This provides, as will readilyr be understood, for a constant circulation of water from kthe radiator, through the cap and one pair of telescoping` pipes to the water jacket of the cylinder, and back through the other pair of telescoping pipes, and the cap to the radiator again. s

The lower part of the radiator is divided into vfront and rear compartments by a ver` tical partition, into the front compartment there extends a tubular extension, 66, of the central bore, 67, of the driving shaft, 6, which constitutes the outlet or return passage for the piston and shaft cooling system, the inlet consisting' of four smaller bores, 68, arranged around the central boie, 67, in the driving shaft, and the tubular ex, tensions, 69, of the same, each of said ex tensions being bent at its end, as shown in Fig.v` ll, to assist in taking up the water, as they revolve with the driving shaft. These bentends extend into the rear compartment of the radiator. From each bore, 68y a radial bore, 70, extends through the shaft`r into the adjacent eccentric piston, which is cored out, as shown in Fig. l0. to form an annular water jacket, 71, communilou cating,at one end,tthrough a small opening, 72, withsaid bore, 70, and, atthe other end, through a similar opening, 73, with radialpassage's, 74, in ,the shaft, which communicate with the centralbore, 67. Thev hot water issuing from the eccentrics and driving shaft, through lthe extension, 36, into the front compartment ofthe radiator, risesover the partition,65, and mixes with the Cooled water before entering the eXtenf sions, 6,9, of the inlet bores, 68, leadingfto the internal jackets of the eccentrics.V

In a `four cylinder engine, such [as iltrated and described,lthelpistons are set in pairs at 180 degrees apart onthe driving shaft, the twov inner pistons occupying the same relative positionl` yand thetwo outer pistons being set at 180y degrees thereto. The tiring of the cylinder-ts,however, takes place inthe order 1-3-4-42, any suitabletiming theengine foundation is inclined for anyV reason, as when the vehicle onwhich it may be mounted is not on a level base."v The rapid motion of the cylinders and pistons 'will cause an oil spray orinist'to fill the casing,21, for which reasonthe pipes, 5t),

surrounding the spark" plugs and their wires,.are provided. Any suitable means may be provided lfor lubricating the ycylinder bosses,-1`0, and theValve Shaft,"38, and,

if necessary for ypacking the ports in the sleeve, with which'theports in saidbosses and shaft cooperateto Control the admission` s to and.exhaustlfromthe cylinders.

til),

It will be readily understoo-l thatthereciprocation of the curved pipes,v60, in the stationary curved pipes, 58, tends toicarry the body of i waterA ycontained. vtherein I along, that is .'to say,., tocause a reciprooation; o'r surging of v-the... waterin saidpipes. .The check yvalves, 59 prevent?. this by permitting movement-.of the column Vof lwaiter..lin :the curved pipes in the idirection in .which itis required to move to ,furnish vthe desired circulationyin thelcylinder v,j.aclets,. bjut prefy venting its retrogradefmovement, thuscaliss ngsaid curvedv pipe system toact-.fas .a pump to .maintainfthe circulation...al.

y:One`4 of vthe principal .advantages of inyention consists in the .factthatan vengine of a ny. desired f andl determined horsepower,

Constructed ink accordance therewith, `will occupy considerably less 1 space 1than an engine of the vordinary form', with `a` corresponding reduction ofweight-,i' such relative reductions being, as is well' known, of special yimportance in the engines of motor vehicles, whether operating on land, water, or in the air.V I

Another important advantage of our in-A vention is presentedin thel reduction, which it attains, of the number of workingparts, particularly reciprocating parts, whereby the engine is not only less expensive asto kcost of ,l construction y,and maintenance in operative condition, but alsothe objection-v ablevibrations, and resultant wearo-f the working parts, are largely eliminated.

We claim rasour invention and desire tot secureby Letters Patent y 'L'In an internal combustion engine, the combination of va straight driving shaft; rectangular cylinders mounted to oseillate about lan kairis parallel to said shaft; avalve shaft rotatable about said axis to control the admission andv exhaust of the motive fluid'to and from said cylinders; disc pistons mounted eccentrically on the driving shaft, one Within each cylinder, a yoke surrounding each piston and shoes carried by said yokes so as to slide on the walls lof the cylinders.

2.1n an internal combustion engine, the combination, with vthe frame, of ya straight driving shaft .journalled therein; rectangular cylinders guided to oscillatev on said frame about an axis yparallel to the driving shaft,. and havingr circular bosses on their heads,-` iitting a'bearing in the frame; ad-

mission and exhaust ports in said bosses and e frame bearing; a valve shaft journalled in said bosses, and geared tothe driving shaft; disc pistonsv mounted eccentrically jon the driving shaft, one within each `cylinder,'a yoke surrounding each piston andv shoesk car-` ried by said yolres so asfto slide on thewalls of the cylinders. 7 l f v 3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination, with 'a frame, of a. straight driving shaft, Vjournalled therein; cylinders guided` to oscillate on said frameabout'an airisV parallel to the driving shaft; means,-

.rotatable about said axis,r to controltheadinission'toand exhaustv from said cylinders disc pistons, eccentrically mounted on-the driving. shaft, ^one avithin each cylinderv;,ja strap yoke vsurrounding eac-h4 disc i and' dianol metrical'ly. opposite, shoes,` carried *.byfeach yoke', to ;.slideonthe walls ,of` the cylinders,

ta-'In .an internalcombustion engine, the

comb-ination,,withl the frame, of cylinders guidednthereonso as tooscillate about an axis above their closed ends, and,having curved slots in their walls; astraight'driving sliaft,; ournalledj--in vthe yframe,parallel tojsaid ..a':iis and passing ythrough said slots;

discs,eccentricallv carried by saidshaftt enelv Within each cylinder; shoes, carried by said with said discs, the

discs, and constituting, pistons; means, rotatable about said axis, to contiol the supply of motive fluid; and means to cool said cylinders, discs anddriving shaft.

5. An inteiiial combustionengine, coinprising a frame; ay driving shaft journalled iii said frame; a sleeve fixed in said frame, parallel to said driving shaft; segmental guides, carried by said frame; a cylinder, slidably mounted on said guides and pivoted on said sleeve; an eccentric disc on said shaft, Within said cylinders; a yoke on said dise; shoes carried by said yoke and sliding on opposite Walls of said cylinder; and a valve'shaft, journalled in said sleeve, and driven in tiinevvith said driving shaft.

G. An internal Vcombustion engine, coinprising a frame; a driving shaft jouinalled in said frame; a ported sleeve fixed in said frame, above and parallel to said driving shaft; a ported `valve shaft7 rotatably mounted in said sleeve, and operatively connected to said driving shaft; a rectangular cylinder, having acylindrical extension rotatably mounted on said sleeve; and an eccentric, keyed on said driving` shaft, Within said cylinder, and having idi'ametrically "opposite ysaid cylindrical extension having` shoes sliding on the walls of said cylinder, ports which cooperate with the ports in said sleeve and valve shaft to control. the admission to i andexhaust from said cylinder.

7. An internal combustion engine, coinprising a frame; a driving shaft journalled therein; a ported sleeve, fixedly carried by said fiame, above and parallel to said driving shaft cylinders, having cylindrical extensions, rotatably fitting on said sleeve, and slots through vhich said driving shaft passes, said extensions also having ports; a ported valve shaft rotatably mounted Within said sleeve; a disc,`eccentrically mounted on said drivings raft, Within each cylinder; and gear connections between the driving and valve shafts.

8. .an internal conibustiton engine. coniprisiiig a frame; a rectangular cylinder, mounted. to oscillate thereon; a driving shaft, passing through slots in the side Walls of said cylinder; a disc, eccentrically carried on said shaft Within said cylinder; shoes r carried on said disc to slide on the end Walls of'said cylinder; inlet and exhaust ports in said frame'and cylinder; and a valve shaft, Journalled in said frame, in the axis of 0scillation of said cylinder, said valve shaft mounted on said shaft Within said cylinder; a yoke on said disc; shoes carried by said yoke, to slide on opposite Walls of said cylinder; ports in said frame and cylinder; and a valve shaft; joiii'nalled in the axis of ostill-ationr of the cylinder, and having passages cooperating With' said ports, said shafts being connected by gearing.

l0. An internal combustion engine, comprising a frame; a cylinder mounted to oscillate thereon, and having curved slots in its Walls; a driving shaft, journalled in the fraine and passing through said slots; an eccentric disc on said shaft, Within said cylinder; dianietrically opposite shoes, carried by said disc, to slide'on the Walls of the cylinder; ineans to provide a circulation of cooling Water through said driving shaft and eccentric-disc; and a valve shaft, ouriialled in the axis of oscillation of said cylinder, and operatively connected to said driving shaft.

l1. An internal combustion engine, comprising a frame; a cylinder, mounted to oscillate thereon; a shaft, passing through the ivall of said cylinder; an eccentric on said shaft, Within said cylinder; shoes, carried bysaid eccentric, and sliding in the Wall of the cylinder; means to provide a circulation of cooling Water through said frame, into the' Wall of said cylinder; and a valve shaft, mounted in the axis of oscillation of said cylinder, and driven from said first inentioned shaft.`

l 12. An vinternal combustion engine, coinprising oscillating cylinders of rectangular cross-section; a driving shaft, passing through slots in the sides of said cylinders; an eccentric disc, fast on said shaft Within each cylinder; a yoke, surrounding said disc.; shoes, carried by said yoke, and sliding on the ends of the cylinder; means, in the axis of oscillation of the cylinders, and connected with said driving shaft, to control the inlet and outlet of gas to and from said cylinders; and means to cause a circulation of 'cooling ivater through the Walls ofthe cylinders and through said eccentric discs.

13. An internal combustion engine, coinprising a frame; Water jaclreted cylinders, oscillatably mounted thereon; inlet and outlet Water passages in said frame, on each side of the axis of oscillation of said cylinders; pipes curved concentrically With said axis, and connected to said passages and to said jackets respectively, the free ends of said pipes having a telescopic connection; a driving shaft, passing through the sides of said cylinders; and an eccentric disc, fast on said shaft Within each cylinder.

14:. An internal combustion engine, comprising oscillating restangular cylinders; a driving shaft, passing through the side Walls of said cylinders; eccentric pistons, fast on said shaft, onevvithin each cylinder; shoes tion of the cylinders, to control the supply of gas thereto; and means to supply cooling Water to said eccentric pistons and to saidv oscillating cylinders.

15. An internal combustion engine, comprising an oscillating cylinder; an eccentric piston therein; a rotary shaft on which said piston is mounted, said shaft passing through slots in the wall of said cylinder, said piston being hollow to forma water-circulating passage therein, said shafthaving an inlet passage leading to one end ofsaid piston passage, and an outlet passage leading from the other end thereof; and a radiator, divided into compartments with which said inlet and outlet shaft municate respectively.' f

16. An internal combustion engine, comprising a frame, composed of twoidentical vertical members anda chambered cap se-` cured thereon; a plurality of cylinders, guided for oscillation on said members, about an axis lying in the plane` of the bottom of said cap, each cylinder having a cylindrical boss fitting a similar recess in the bottom ,of said.

cap, said bossesand recesses being4 provided with cooperating ports; a ported valve shaft,

rotatably mountedin said bosses; a drivingv shaft, parallel to said bosses, andl passing through slots in the walls of said cylinders; pistons on said driving shaft, Within said cylinders, each piston comprising an eccentric disc and diametrically opposite shoes; and a train of reducing gears betweensaid driving shaft and said valve shaft.

17. Aninternal combustion engine, com, prising the combination, with a supporting frame, of cylinders mounted to oscillate thereon; an eccentric piston in each cylinder; a driving shaft journalled in said frame i and carrying said pistons; a radiator into which the end of said driving shaft projects;

said shaft containing water passages, and

said pistons being hollow and connectedfto said passages; water connections fromv said s radiator to said frame; and telescopic connections from said frame to said oscillating cylinders.k l v 18. An linternal combustion engine, comprising a frame; water-jacketed cylinders,

mounted to oscillate on said frame; a radia-` tor; inlet and outlet connections therefrom to said frame; and telescopic connections betweenk-saidframe and said cylinders,where by a circulation of waterv is maintained in said water jackets.

19. An internal combustion engine, comprising oscillating cylindershaving water jacketed walls; eccentric pistons in said cylinders, having internal water jackets; a radiator; connection' therefrom, including telescoping pipes, to the cylinder jackets; and separate connections from said radiator to said pistons, whereby both cylinders and pistons are cooled.`

20. An engine comprising a frame, a rectangular cylinder guided to oscillate thereon,

a driving shaft passing throughy curved slots n in the side Walls offsaidy cylinder, a rotary valve turning about the axis of oscillation of said cylinder, gearing connecting said valve and shaft, an eccentric disc fast on said shaft' within said cylinder, a strap surrounding said disc, and shoes carried by said strap and sliding on the end walls of said cylinder.

' THOMAS W. GRANNAN.

. VILLIAM D. GRANNAN.

- Witnesses: f V- y EDWARD Dom, J r., l

BERNARD A. ACKERMAN. 

